Shashi's Blog, page 5
March 30, 2016
Featured at IndiBlogger
“Songs of the Mist” featured at Indiblogger… one of the most amazing community of Indian Bloggers… Click here to read
IndiBlogger FeatureThank you Renie Ravin, Anoop and Team Indiblogger.
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March 22, 2016
A reader’s view…
An email from a reader about my book “Songs of the Mist”.
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“When I opened the parcel itself I could find that a sort of peace surrounded my mind in a sort of awareness. As I started reading it, I felt very gloomy and sorrows filled my heart – I don’t know why. But as I continued reading I could understand that it was (may be) because of the agony Ashutosh underwent. Later on after few chapters my mind became peaceful and in the very next chapter itself Ashu could come out of that slowly.
Kyaka – a manifestation of the Monk in a certain mental plane to help Ashu to come out of his agony and Karma to enable him to renounce, is an interesting character.
When I was reading about the Kali at the Mountaintop, even before Ashu reached the peak, strangely tears started coming out of my eyes. As I went on reading Ashu also cried. It created a longing feeling that I should see Kolkata Kali once again.
The landscape of Badrinath – Kedarnath / Alaknanda was described wonderfully, especially the mountain paths the Monk preferred to take, as if the reader could visualize it. (I wondered why few photos were not inserted). It makes the reader to long for a lovely holy dip in Alaknanda. Really you are very lucky to have travelled far and wide in Himalayan Region.
Anishka – lovely character.
After finished reading the book, it gives a sort of fulfillment. To be preserved, I kept the book along with my yoga books to read again later.” – Revathi Chari
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Don’t put ‘Soul’ across intellectual microscope
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
Don’t put ‘Soul’ across intellectual microscope“Our inner consciousness is the most basic thing, like your God Particle. It is as natural as the natural world around us and to put it across the intellectual microscope is like trying to find which part of the thread has the whole design of cosmic fabric. And when one understands that there is something beyond the scope of our search, it may do well to go with that understanding. It is most natural to do so. The problem with most of us is that we infer our understanding with imagination and logic, and not accept as it is.” – Anishka to Ayan in the book “Songs of the Mist” (Page 172)
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March 18, 2016
The most powerful Bhagwad Gita shlokas for Karma Yogi / Students
In the book Songs of the Mist, the mysterious Monk takes the protagonist Ashutosh along with him in his journey across Himalaya. During these wanderings, he used to breakout into singing some songs, which as he explained to Ashutosh is based on the teachings of Bhagwad Gita. The 3rd Song is about the most powerful Shlokas of Bhagwad Gita from Chapter 3 in which Lord Krishna talks about Karma Yoga.
In the shloka 33, Krishna talks about the natural tendency of a person to do things according their nature (prakriti), so what can one gain by repressing those sense desires born out of ones own nature… but then Lord Krishna goes on to say in the next Shloka 34, that the naturally experienced desires and its fulfilment, should not control us.
Window of opportunityThe mysterious Monk explains the process of Karma Yogi, to overcome these natural tendencies to Ashutosh, as he says…
“There is a small gap (window of opportunity) between the subconscious desire and the subsequent action (karma) to acquire that sense object. This is where a you as a Karma Yogi or a Seeker has to focus. This is where all meditation, practice of abstinence, filtering our thoughts, choosing positive thoughts etc. works, because this momentary gap alone, which is in between transition from subconscious desire to action, is controllable.” – The Monk
Bhagwad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 33
सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्या: प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि |
प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रह: किं करिष्यति || 33||
sadṛiśhaṁ cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiter jñānavān api
prakṛitiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣhyati
Even wise people act according to their natures, for all living beings are propelled by their natural tendencies. What will one gain by repression?
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Bhagwad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 34
इन्द्रियस्येन्द्रियस्यार्थे रागद्वेषौ व्यवस्थितौ |
तयोर्न वशमागच्छेत्तौ ह्यस्य परिपन्थिनौ || 34||
indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣhau vyavasthitau
tayor na vaśham āgachchhet tau hyasya paripanthinau
The senses naturally experience attachment and aversion to the sense objects, but do not be controlled by them, for they are way-layers and foes.
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NOTE from the Author: Only 2 songs of the mysterious monks are published in the book, all 9 songs are going to be published soon…
March 4, 2016
Attention readers from USA & Canada…
USA & Canada GOOD READS GIVE AWAY
– Closing date 15th March, 2016
25 free copies are made available at Good Reads for the USA and Canada Reviewers….
Songs of the Mist .USA & Canada Reader, click here to request a free copy
NOTE: Please send me your email ID , if you want to receive advance notice, I will keep you posted on some good offers on its way in near future… too.
February 26, 2016
Good Reads Give Away for Indian readers…
GOOD READS GIVE AWAY (Only for Indian Reviewers)
– Closing date 10th March, 2016
25 free copies are made available at Good Reads. Although already 44 people are requesting it within a day of its opening, but if interested…
Songs of the Mist .Click here to request a free copy
NOTE: Please send me your email ID , if you want to receive advance notice, I will keep you posted on some good offers on its way in near future… too.
February 19, 2016
Songs of the Mist now at Odyssey…
My book “Songs of the Mist” is now also available on the chain of book stores in India – Odyssey.
Buy it offline too in IndiaAnd of course you can still buy it on more than 18 online stores across the world.
February 8, 2016
Varanasi Press Conference…
“Learn to live in the moments of now, and you will be alive forever.” says Banarasi Babu Ashutosh in my book “Songs of the Mist” and this was those kind of moments, which will remain alive forever.
Print and Electronic Media and “Songs of the Mist”Reports came in many print media and TV Channels in North India …
Report in Dainik Jagran PartJanuary 29, 2016
Author interaction at the Cultural Capital of India – Kolkata
When I think of Kolkata, I remember my grandfather, Indian Statistical Institute, Dakshineshwar Temple, Durga Puja and Bhakti moment of Indian spirituality on the back ground score of Rabindra Sangeet in the noise of road side tea stall where you can 3/6 cup and football game’s reviews from across the globe. The beauty of the languidly moving vehicles – zigzagging through numerous city jams, but also zipping across the under ground the first metro rail and an IT hub that’s humming to take over the world, from the outskirts of the city. That’s Kolkata for you in nut shell but for me it’s more than all that. And visiting the city on 30th and 31st January, 2016 for the International Kolkata Book Fair on the invitation of my first book “Songs of the Mist” publishers Notion Press, is an amazing opportunity to recharge my soul…
Dakshineswar Temple
There are many memories from past of the city. My grandfather ran away from the back waters of eastern UP to study Ayurveda in Kolkata, my younger brother, who was a doctor, ran away from the MNC trap of Infosys, to come here to study at ISI – the one of the world’s foremost statistical institute that has broken all cryptography puzzles – almost all and I ran away from doing mundane things in Chennai to come and stay in the vicinity of Dakshineswar temple to re-connect with my soul.
Sitting across the holy River at Dakshineswar Ghat
Sitting across the Holy River Ganges, next to the beautiful Temple, sipping hot cup of tea is bliss. Across India, this is the place for finding oneself and one’s passion, a place that reinvents your life at a totally different level.
On the banks of holy river, next to Dakshineswar Temple
I remember visiting the heartland of Bhakti Yoga moment, sitting in the temple in Mayapur, where Krishna instilled the love to the most fervent proponent of Bhakti moment and get the same spark of love and compassion.
Bhakti Procession at Mayapur
The most vibrant example of the continued fervor is the ISKCON world headquarters, which is beacon of love for Krishna, across the world.
Krishna @ Mayapur, ISKCON 2004
The many decades of visit to the place, soaking up in the cultural environment, breathing the rasa and rang of Durga Puja fervor…,
Durga Puja – A dance Drama
… which got reflected in my second book of the series The Monk Key , where Ashutosh, after running away from his IIT – BHU course towards Himalaya, in the first book of the series “ Songs of the Mist ” returns not to Varanasi, but to ISI Institute and Dakshineshwar temple, which gave him solace and the answers to the eternal question of one’s own reason for existence and ‘who am I’.
My book “Songs of the Mist” at Notion Press Stall at International
Kolkata Book Fair
The city transforms not only the living being, but the imaginary characters of mind, living across pages of fiction and fulfill their dreams. That is my friend is Kolkata – ignites the fires of your dreams and burns you with it’s passion to purify your golden soul.
I am looking forward to meet my readers and peers at Notion Press Stall, at Kolkata International Book Fair, where I will be interacting with the readers on 30th Jan and 31st as an Author ‘Shashi’ of the book “Songs of the Mist“, please do join me.
The video trailer of “Songs of the Mist” released by Notion Press
Video Trailer of “Songs of the Mist” released on Jan 28, 2016 by Notion Press
A life, less ordinary made extraordinary by the search for the divinity within. Tracing the journeys of people from varied professions, this is a tale of self-discovery, the science of spirituality and long-lost love while a young scientist comes to terms with his childhood dreams.
Join an uplifting narrative crafted by Shashi as he takes you on a journey with the Monk- high on the mountains and in depths of broken hearts.
Buy at: Notion Press
Download Sample at: Notion Press Promotions
